The Royal Guard - Frequently Asked Questions & Public Policy

What is the Royal Guard?
Guards a group of people who can act like on admins of a server, if the server has them enabled. They do not have all the abilities of an admin; however if they are enabled, they have the ability to kick, freeze and ban people like other admins on the server. Whether or not they may do this is strictly up to the server owner.

A guard can usually be identified in-game, by their green colored name (a server's administrator will be displayed in red). Their name will be normal colored if guards are disabled on that server though. If you need help - feel free to ask them questions, as guards are encouraged to be friendly and helpful members of the KAG community. The current roster of Royal Guards can be found here.

Why is there a need for them?
King Arthur's Gold is constantly being updated. For this reason, there can occasionally be unforeseen situations that need the attention of a human being. More often than not, these issues are caused by an abusive player. A guard's job is to handle these issues in a fair and rapid fashion. Generally, action will be taken when a player's actions fall into three broad categories - griefing, cheating, and inappropriate conduct.

What is griefing?
"Griefing" is a term used by many players to describe the act of hampering your own team. Whether it's destroying your team's constructions, obstructing paths intended for your team, or shooting them with catapults - any intentional act that gives disadvantage to your own team is considered griefing. This also includes team swapping to give disadvantage to the original team.

What is considered cheating?
Use of anything that will effect the game's intended mechanics is considered hacking. This includes modifying movement speed, heath/damage systems, etc. Hacking of any sort is considered to be a serious offense and will be handled as-such.

Exploiting in-game glitches for an unfair advantage is also considered cheating. Exploiting will likely result in a lesser response than hacking. This could be a verbal warning or character freeze, followed by a ban, if continued.

What constitutes inappropriate conduct?
While there can be no definite answer to this question, common courtesy is paramount. In other words, treat other players as you would like to be treated yourself. Some things that can be easily described as inappropriate for KAG are: racial remarks of any type, excessive foul language, spamming the chat screen, bullying new and inexperienced players, etc. Infractions of this sort will usually be met with an in-game verbal warning which will lead to a ban, if continued. However, if the server allows such things, won't ban, since it is not within their jurisdiction; in that case, it can only be handled by an admin, or the server owner.

It's generally a good idea to temper your conduct as if you were playing the game with a young family member.

How can I report an abusive player?
The most proactive method is to cast an in-game vote, to kick the player. This will result in a temporary ban to that player, effective on server they were kicked from. You can start a vote-kick by pressing esc and press the "Vote" button. If this fails to stop the culprit - let a guard know, in-game or in IRC, if possible. Alternatively, you can also report them in the forums here. Be sure to include a video, screenshots, or some form of proof if possible.

I've been frozen by a moderator!? What does that mean?
Guards have the ability to stop any player in their tracks. This will be done if a player is seen abusing the game or other players. Freezing generally means a guard would like to explain why they froze you and give a chance for you to reasonably explain yourself. If you are frozen, do not disconnect or you will be systematically banned. Players are invincible during a freeze so there is no reason to worry about an unfair death.

I've been banned. How long does it last?
There are two types of bans. A "game server ban" is effective on one particular game server. A "ban flag" is basically part of your account information, people with these can not play on servers which are enforcing these. They can, however, be disabled (server side) which allows players with those flags to play on servers where those aren't being enforced. "Ban flags" give server owners the power to recognize (or not) ban recommendations made by the KAG team.

There are no set rules for a ban length, as they are approached on an individual basis. However, generally speaking, these infractions will have the following result:

• Ping exceeds server limit - 10 minute, game server ban
• Idle character - 10 minute, game server ban
• Abusing - temporary flag, lasts for: depends on the severity of the abuse
• Exploiting - temporary flag, lasts for: 3 days
• Griefing - temporary ban flag, lasts for: 3 days
• Hacking - permanent ban flag

Repeat or gross offenders will likely receive a lengthier ban.

I've been falsely banned? What can i do?
Describe your situation in detail at the appeals thread. The KAG developers and guards will handle this on an individual basis.

I'd like to report improper behaviour by a guard. Where do I do that?
You can report guards either in the normal place or, if you think they've been abusing their power, here in this thread. Please remember to remain polite at all times and that you'll be expected to have some pretty solid evidence-- we only pick our guards from the best!

What else should I know?
Guards often hang out in #kag @ irc.quakenet.org where they can be ping by entering the command !guard. They also have discussion forums for internal communication and organizational purposes.

Guards are encouraged to treat all players equally, including premium players and other guards.

Also, a guard will never ask you for your password or any other private information.

Generally speaking, guards are encouraged to take pride in helping to provide a fair game for all. With that said, please remember that guards are players themselves, who's actions will not always be perfect. If you would like to report guard abuse, you may do so in this thread.

How can I become a guard?
As the player base becomes larger, occasionally there will be a need for new guards. There is no direct way to become a guard. Players who are considered for guard status are individuals that have continually shown a friendly and helpful attitude towards others, as well as a general love for the game and it's development.

If you are not chosen, please do not be discouraged or insulted as it is not a choice made by any one person in particular. With that said, the best way to increase your chances of becoming a guard is to be a very active member of the community. Post in the forums, hang out in IRC, record game-play videos, be creative, and get yourself known!

Can I have your autograph?
With Love,
- SirSalami

 

^ the rare and extremely powerful 6 year necro post

 

o/

 

Unstickied and added to the Stickied List of Stickies bc there are too many damn stickies. Again.